Lest I leave out my town's other department store, Fenwicks, I was excited today to discover that they are now stocking additional Hermes classics, including the hard-to-find Bel Ami, as well as Hiris and Amazone.
I am fairly certain that all of these have been reformulated a few times, but I haven't tried any of them before, so can only comment on how they smell now. Hiris took me by surprise. It is a lovely, elegant iris perfume, but more surprising to me is how musky the dry down is. It isn't a skanky musk, but smells lovely and sensual nevertheless. I kept on catching wafts of this musky-iris accord all afternoon, which was extremely pleasing.
Bel Ami reminded me a bit of Equipage, as it is also quite dry and spicy, yet at the same time it seems in a slightly different class with more leather and a smokiness that is very pleasing. It feels like an eighties perfume to be sure, but is classy and very rich and satisfying.
Again, I am so glad that Fenwicks is also stocking different perfumes. It certainly makes me very happy!
You are lucky to find exciting perfumes in your area. I find it really difficult and I swear I live in the WORST city in the UK in terms of fragrance selection! Sheffield has zero niche perfumes and only the usual run-of-the-mill mainstream. This makes me very frustrated - I need to move!
ReplyDeleteAntqueen, I must admit that I don't really know what is available up in your part of the world - perhaps Leeds or York might have some more niche-type stuff? Alternatively, get yourself down to London!
DeleteYeah, Leeds has a Harvey Nics which stocks some niche and the Armani prive collection. I just miss the convenience of popping into a local shop whenever you fancy a sniff!
ReplyDeleteVery true - that would be a nice luxury!
DeleteIndeed you are very lucky to have your local department store stock such wonderful perfumes! When I left NYC 17 years ago my access to all fantastic fragrance disappeared! Now I experience vicariously through what I read on perfume blogs :) !
ReplyDeleteBrie, where do you live now? I'd love to go back to NYC following my perfume obsession (when I was there in 2003 I had yet to be become a perfume freak)!
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